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This Tree Bears Bitter Fruit
(Gold Key Comics ongoing) | number = 47 | date = 2269 | stardate = 67:32.4 | artist = Alden McWilliams | writer = George Kashdan & Doug Drexler | omnibus = | published = September 1977 | format = | pages = 22 | publisher = Gold Key Comics }} The immortal... There was no place for Humans in his scheme of life!—'"This Tree Bears Bitter Fruit"' was the 47th issue of Gold Key Comics' 1967 [[star Trek (Gold Key)|ongoing series of Star Trek]] comics, written by George Kashdan & Doug Drexler and illustrated by Alden McWilliams. Summary On course to New Paris colony, three plant-like pods were detected near the , registering on Mister Spock's sensors as lifeforms of pure energy and considerable intelligence. When Captain James T. Kirk ordered investigation, the pods ignored communications hailing frequencies. When Kirk ordered Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu to pilot the ship closer, an energy discharge from the pods shut down all shipboard power. Scotty's engineering station reported damage to circuitry. The pods restored the ships power only after distancing themselves. The pods changed course to Beta Niobe III, and Kirk ordered the ship to follow. In order to safeguard the technologically-advanced civilization on that planet, a landing party of Kirk, Spock and Doctor Leonard McCoy beamed down. Three humanoid-shaped beings made of energy emerged from the pods, disintegrating everything in their path as they moved about. McCoy asserted the lifeforms were using osmosis to process the vaporized material. Kirk fired a phaser stun at one of the beings, but it destroyed his phaser pistol. The beings fed for a while, but did not kill any inhabitants or harm their dwellings, and quickly departed for space. References Characters :Pavel Chekov • James T. Kirk • Leonard McCoy • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • Zhyopha • [[unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel|unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel]] ([[uSS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel|USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel]]) Starships and vehicles : ( heavy cruiser) Locations :Beta Niobe III (Beta Niobe star system; the galaxy's Alpha or Beta Quadrants) • uncharted planetoids (Gamma Cygnet region) Memory Alpha • New Paris colony (New Paris) Races and cultures :Human • Vulcan • space beings Organian • Zetarian Science and technology :computer • circuit • engineering • engineering station • • hailing frequency • intercom • osmosis • phaser • phaser pistol • pistol • sensor • Sestra phaser II • spacecraft • starship • technology • time • transporter • tricorder • type-2 phaser States and organizations :Federation • Starfleet (command division • operations division • sciences division) • Starfleet Command Ranks and titles :captain • chief engineer • chief medical officer • commander • commanding officer • communications officer • doctor • pilot • engineer • ensign • Federation Starfleet ranks • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • first officer • helmsman • horticulturist • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • medical practitioner • navigator • officer • science officer • mister • tactical officer • weapons officer Other references :alien • anatomy • atmosphere • beam • captain's log • clothing • command chair • communications • communicator • conn • energy • [[uSS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel|USS Enterprise personnel]] • five-year mission • helm • humanoid • lifeform • log entry • matter • medicine • navigation • plant • planet • quadrant • races and cultures • rank • saucer section • space • secondary hull • shark • star • star system • stardate • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • stun • title • Tree of Life • uniform • universe • warp drive • weapon Chronology ;stardate 67:32.4, 2269 (2260s chronology, [[voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (2264 to 2270)|2264–2270 Enterprise voyages]]) : Enterprise changes course for Beta Niobe. Appendices Background * The Enterprise s visit to a planet in the Beta Niobe system indicates this story takes place prior to the supernova of that star in this same year, 2269, as depicted in }}. * Zhyopha claims to be an immortal Human who has been growing the space beings' tree for eons, but it is not clear if he was actually that long-lived. Immortals such as Flint or Morgan Primus have been documented as having a similar ability in other sources. * A tree’s height is limited by the laws of physics affecting how water moves from the trunk to the leaves. The tallest living tree on Earth is a 379 foot-tall redwood. (Tree Heights) To be hundreds of miles tall, the Tree of Life’s biology must have been more complex than that of a normal tree, or its appearance augmented by illusion or projection. * Co-author Doug Drexler described his volunteer contributions to this story as a script polish and edit, including adding callbacks to the Metrons and Organians. Gold Key Comics’ offices were near the Federation Trading Post where Drexler worked at that time in New York City. He also provided the creative team with reference materials. (Drawing Trek Podcast, Episode 33, 29:30-44:00) Related Stories * }} – Similar to Zhyopha’s claim that the Tree of Life originated in a previous universe, the encountered a Kirk and an Enterprise from a universe that existed prior to the Big Bang. * – In 2289, Kirk, Spock and McCoy encountered an illusion of the Tree of Life. * , the Organians * , the Zetarians * }}, Beta Niobe * , New Paris colony Images gold Key 47.jpg|Cover image. zhyopha.jpg|Zhyopha. zhyopha's familiars.jpg|Zhyopha's familiars. betaniobe3residents.jpg|Beta Niobe III residents. spacepods.jpg|Space pods. gK47landing party.jpg|Landing party. GK47-Tree-of-Life.jpg|Tree of Life. Connections | after= "Sweet Smell of Evil" |}} External links * * category:tOS comics Category:1977 productions and publications